1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a saddle-ride type vehicle. More particularly, to a saddle-ride type vehicle with an improved radiator and exhaust pipe.
2. Description of Background Art
In a known radiator for a saddle-ride type vehicle, a radiator body is composed of a core with radiating fins and coolant tubes alternately laminated, an upper tank for supplying coolant to the core, and a lower tank for collecting the coolant. The radiator body, with tubes disposed at upper and lower portions thereof, is disposed forward of and above an engine and fixed to a body frame. See, for example, JP Patent No. 4145426.
In the foregoing radiator supporting structure, the radiator and the exhaust pipe of the engine are disposed in an overlapping manner in a plan view. Furthermore, in vehicles mounted with a two-stroke engine, the exhaust pipe carries a large expansion chamber partway along its length. Therefore, there is disclosed a structure in which the lower tank of the radiator is provided with a recess so as to avoid interference with the expansion chamber.
In vehicles mounted with a four-stroke engine, an upstream inlet of the exhaust pipe (an inlet connected to an exhaust port) is located upwardly above the engine as compared to that in vehicles with a two-stroke engine. For this reason, there is a need for the design being such that the interference between the upstream inlet and the lower tank of the radiator is prevented.
However, if the capacity of the radiator is increased to enhance the cooling capability without interference between the radiator and the exhaust pipe of the engine, it causes the problems of limited space through which the exhaust pipe is routed and difficulties in improving the engine output. On the other hand, if the space for routing is increased by increasing the curvature of the exhaust pipe, there is a problem in that the capacity of the radiator is limited and the cooling capability is less likely to be fully used.